Lablab - Lablab purpureus

Lablab (also known as the hyacinth bean in English-speaking countries and dolich in French-speaking countries) is an African species. Its wild relatives can be found in the arid regions of Namibia and other southern and eastern African countries. Lablab is much better known in wet tropical regions than in dry regions like the Sahel, even though it is considered to be a drought tolerant species. Some claim that it is even more drought tolerant than cowpea. Lablab is tolerant to a wide range of soil pH, ranging from 4.5 to 7.5. It can grow in sandy soils and in fine-textured, well drained soils. Lablab responds to improved soil fertility (using manure or fertilizers), but in most cases farmers do not use manure or fertilizers on lablab.

The deep and prolific root system of lablab (in both sandy and clay soils) gives it a major advantage in the semi-arid tropics. The roots can exploit soil moisture to a depth of 2.0 meters and allow lablab to complete a full life cycle without irrigation.